Glueing down ground cover/grass/foilage

[Curt]

I am wondering what is the best thing to use to glue down ground cover, grass/turf and foilage/bushes to your layout? Is that done best with scenic cement in a spray bottle? Is scenice cement sprayable? Or, would a 50/50 mixture of white glue and water work better. I did paint my areas of land first and then sprinkled down my turf, but I am looking for a little extra hold on the turf as well as other ground cover and foilage that I put down. It has been while since I have done this and just can't remember the best way to adhere it down. Is there a better kind of spray adhesive out there  that would hold turf and ground cover down? Thanks.

[larak]

Curt, You'll get a few differing answers here. all work.

As for me, I mist with 70% isopropyl alcohol then gently soak with 25% matte medium in 75& water. I first mix with water, then let it sit for a few days. MM has fillers in it. These  will sink to the bottom. Decant the liquid into a clean spray bottle leaving the solids. It works great btw. Good hold, no shine and dries clear.

You can also apply mm in smaller areas (to hold ballast too) from an old after shave bottle with the small spout. 

Some people use diluted white glue and others "superhold" cheap hairspray.

Karl 

[cudaken]

 I am going to guess you will get about 15 driffrent ways to do this. Here is numer 2. I use white glue, brush on the glue where you want the ground cover and then apply the cover. On lager clumps I use Tester model glue. Not fancy but has worked for me so far.

 

               Cuda Ken

[dadret]

I use the white glue and water mixture - its about the same as scenic cement but a lot cheaper.  On a bare foam surface I paint it on with a brush.  If you already have some ground cover etc on it, I spray with water and alcohol mixture first then spray on the water/glue mix.

[vipertodd]

I paint a base coat of tan first. This ensures that any areas you miss with ground cover the blue, white, or pink foam will not stand out under the ground cover. You can sprinkle the ground cover on the paint while it is wet also. If I do not put the cover on the paint, I will soak the cover with 70% rubbing alcohol, let that soak in and then use scenic cement on the ground cover. Let it sit overnight and it should be ready to go. I will use white glue for the larger clump foliages or lichen. Good luck. 

Viper

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I puit the turf/groundcover down, wet it down with alcohol dripped from a glue bottle then soak the area with a 50/50 mix of white glue and water from another glue bottle. I've had great success with this. I tried the WS scenic cement a few years back and was less than favorably impressed with it. For one thing it seems to be diluted too much and for another you don't get much product for the price.

[0-6-0]

Hello I would like to ask why do you use alcohol first. Does it help the 50/50 mix to flow better? and do you need to use the mix in a set time or does it have a shelf life. Thanks Frank

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Hello I would like to ask why do you use alcohol first. Does it help the 50/50 mix to flow better? and do you need to use the mix in a set time or does it have a shelf life. Thanks Frank

It breaks the surface tension. If you put the water/glue mix on without the alcohol or water/detergent to break the tension the water/glue will just bead up and run off.

[0-6-0]

Hello Thanks Jeff . How about the shelf life of the 50/50 mix I have a small area to do maybe 10''x6''. I don't think will take a lot to do it but did not what throw out what was left. Can the 50/50 mix be sprayed from a bottle or is dipping better ? Thanks Frank

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I have white glue/water mix that's been sitting in the bottles for a couple of years. When I get ready to use it I just shake it up real good and apply it. As long as it's kept closed it stays good for a very long time.

[BCSJ]

Joe Fugate showed me his technique for gluing down bushes and small trees - he uses a hot melt glue gun. The stuff goes exactly where you want it and sticks almost instantly.

The drawbacks to this method are burned fingers (if you're not careful or don't wear gloves) and enough little spider web threads running everywhere to make it look like Shelog (the giant spider from Lord of the Rings) is living nearby.

The threads are fairly easily removed though - shine a brite light on the area and they'll be obvious and easily removed. Here's a chunk of scenery I did that way. 

 

I do use the diluted white glue method for gluing down sprinkled ground foam. But in this picture the grass was electrostatic done with a Noch GrassMaster using Noch GrassSlime for the adheasive.

Regards,

Charlie Comstock 

[Fazby]

The cheapest hair spray you can find in a pump bottle.  Enlist spouse. 

[jfugate]

Joe Fugate showed me his technique for gluing down bushes and small trees - he uses a hot melt glue gun. The stuff goes exactly where you want it and sticks almost instantly.

The drawbacks to this method are burned fingers (if you're not careful or don't wear gloves) and enough little spider web threads running everywhere to make it look like Shelog (the giant spider from Lord of the Rings) is living nearby.

The threads are fairly easily removed though - shine a brite light on the area and they'll be obvious and easily removed. Here's a chunk of scenery I did that way. 

I do use the diluted white glue method for gluing down sprinkled ground foam. But in this picture the grass was electrostatic done with a Noch GrassMaster using Noch GrassSlime for the adheasive.

Charlie Comstock

Yep, just as Charlie said (that's some dandy looking scenery there, Charlie ).

I use white glue diluted 50-50 with water to glue down static grass, and I use hot glue to glue down bushes and trees or fake fur grass. The hot glue makes the work go super fast ... the stuff sets up in about 30 seconds or so.

When using hot glue, it's very important to protect yourself from nasty burns. I use a heavy dishwashing glove on my planting hand most of the time. The few times I've not used a glove, I've often lived to regret it ... a good hot glue burn can take a long time to heal!

For some more details, you can see my Scenery Forum Clinic. 

[BCSJ]

The cheapest hair spray you can find in a pump bottle.  Enlist spouse. 

I've made extensive use of hairspray as adhesive when coating trees and bushes with ground foam leaves. 'Cheap' is a prime qualifier, but there are at least two more: 1) Unscented (unless you want your scenery to have some exotic smell...), 2) Extra hold (which has more lacquer in it so it makes a stronger adhesive). I personally like Aqua Net Extra Hold Unscented which seems to meet all three criteria.

Regards,

Charlie Comstock 

[gandydancer19]

My method:

1- Latex tan paint and apply dirt substance of your choice whhile wet.

2- Spray with wet water, apply 50/50 white glue and water, apply green stuff, fine first, then work to ocoarse stuff.  Spray more with wet water and apply more white glue mix if required.

3- Plant large bushes.

4- Plant trees.

I always work dirt first, then ballast, then green.  Fine material first and work to coarse last.

[mammay76]

I'm a fan, and a user of the 50/50 water white glue mix. i first paint the area let it dry, then sprinkle my scenery material down, spray with a water and dish detergent (a few drops per pump spray bottle) mix and then soak with the glue water mix. only problems i have is that the scenery hass a "darker" look to it once it dries, not to sure why its darker....maybe this is normal?